Crusader Chroniclehttps://www.crusaderchronicle.com
The student news site of Faith Lutheran High SchoolMon, 19 Mar 2018 19:35:09 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4March 16 Broadcasthttps://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6586/showcase/march-16-broadcast/
https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6586/showcase/march-16-broadcast/#respondMon, 19 Mar 2018 19:35:09 +0000https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/?p=6586https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6586/showcase/march-16-broadcast/feed/0Black Panther breaks box officehttps://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6522/opinion/black-panther-breaks-box-office/
https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6522/opinion/black-panther-breaks-box-office/#respondMon, 19 Mar 2018 17:07:47 +0000https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/?p=6522Out of all the Marvel movies to come out, from the Avengers to X-Men, one movie has stood out among the rest. Black Panther could become a part of the movie industry’s “billion dollar club” after destroying box office records with a staggering $218 million during its opening weekend. The story of this sharp-clawed superhero became the top-grossing film in history to have a black director and mostly black cast by passing “Straight Outta Compton,” which gathered $214 million in its entirety in theatres. The demand to see the movie was so high that during the movie’s opening weekend it was sold out from Friday until Monday.

However, the numbers that were set only applied to the U.S. income from the box office. Black Panther may be one of the first movies with an almost full black cast and director to be a part of the “billion dollar club” when it collected around $704 million world wide within the first 12 days of its release by playing in over 60 countries. This is very surprising to fans all over the movie community when it is compared to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movie that collected $773 million over 5 months in 2014.

Greg Foster, the entertainment chief for Imax, said “the movie has such a huge and loyal fan-base that people are even going to see it more than once, which is huge for a film to be considered successful.”

Black Panther’s all-star cast includes Chadwick Boseman, famous for his role as Jackie Robinson in 42 in 2013, plays protagonist T’Challa who returns to his home in Wakanda to take the throne as king after his father is killed. Also, Michael B. Jordan, who is famous for his role in 2015’s Creed as Adonis Johnson, plays Erik Killmonger who seeks revenge for the death of his father and whose main goal is to kill T’Challa.

Senior and frequent moviegoer Kevin Bartley said, “I loved the fight scenes in the movie and especially the final fight between Killmonger and Black Panther.”

Recently, Black Panther has grossed $897.7 million in the box office and has become Marvel’s second highest grossing film to date. However, the fan-favorite flick was not in the running for any Oscar nominations due to the rules stating that the movie must debut between January 1st and December 31st of 2017 and it just recently came out on January 16th of this year which means it is eligible for Oscar nominations in 2019. In conclusion, Black Panther is one of the most successful movies to come out in years and is paving the way for a year of great movie releases.

]]>https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6522/opinion/black-panther-breaks-box-office/feed/0The BIG sleep problem at Faithhttps://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6540/student-life/the-big-sleep-problem-at-faith/
https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6540/student-life/the-big-sleep-problem-at-faith/#respondTue, 13 Mar 2018 17:43:51 +0000https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/?p=6540Sleep. It’s something that we all know we need, just like exercise, proper nutrition, and hydration, but at Faith it arguably suffers the most among those basic health necessities (particularly with high school students). According to a recent survey done by the Yearbook staff, 75 percent of students at Faith get less than 8 hours of sleep a night, and 32 percent of students (the highest percentage among all students in the survey) get 6 hours of sleep, which if prolonged for 2 weeks or more, will have the same effect on the mind as being awake for 2 days straight. 60 percent of students from the survey feel tired at school due to their general lack of sleep, and the most common reason for students lacking sleep, in their opinion, are due to the amount of homework they receive (40.1 percent) with staying up late (17.7 percent), procrastination (12.4 percent), and sports (11 percent). With students such as Lucas Richardson and Micah Fogo (both near the top of the junior class in GPA ranking) whom like many others are involved in rigorous classes and plenty of extracurricular activities, getting 8 hours of sleep is a rare luxury, with 3-6 hours of sleep being the norm.

“There aren’t any possible changes that could be made by the school” said Richardson.

It appears that at the moment most Faith students as of now are stuck in a never-ending cycle of constant sleep deprivation until school gets out.

Sleep deprivation has awful affects on people from any age, but for adolescents it has the worst affect. From 2007-2013, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) observed the negative affects of sleep loss among high school students, and they concluded that those who got less than 8-10 hours of sleep had an increased chance of getting in a car crash, suffering a sports injury, or turning towards drugs and alcohol. Furthermore, students with 9 hours of sleep or less have a higher chance of depression, and that increases if students get less than 4 hours of sleep.

Even the most organized students fail to get enough sleep due to a variety of reasons, such as late extracurricular practices and performances that in some cases don’t end until after 9 at night on schooldays. They finally arrive home after being gone all day long, and instead of going straight to sleep, some have to do homework instead. This is even more brutal for students like myself who live farther away from Faith (my average commute to school can take around 25-40 minutes depending on traffic). Even on a night with limited things to do, it would be difficult for a high school student to fall asleep earlier, as according to Doctor Mary A. Carskadon in her article Sleep in Adolescents: The Perfect Storm, she details that on average, adolescents’ secretion of melatonin (a hormone made by the pineal gland that helps control your bodies’ natural sleep/wake cycles) occurs at a later time than preteens and adults (around 11 p.m. on average for teenagers). This essentially means that even if a student wanted to go to sleep at an earlier time than this, they could potentially stay awake in bed for hours before they fell asleep, only to wake up in a few hours to go to school and suffer from this lack of sleep over and over again.

But how can we as a school fix this problem? A reduction of homework is unrealistic to ask for, and students certainly shouldn’t have to give up their passions outside of school just to get a proper amount of sleep and maintain that consistently throughout the entire week.

What I believe, as well as several organizations such as the American Medical Association, American Sleep Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Sleep Foundation and more, is that the start time for students in high school should be pushed back to 8:40 (at least). This would not only allow students to get more and overall higher quality sleep, but, as a result, would allow for students to be more alert, feel better, create more consistent sleep schedules, and in general help their overall health. However, some obstacles stand in the way, predominantly the issues of what would happen to advisory and what would happen with the start times for Middle School. Advisory, while it is nice and fun, and occasionally helpful in terms of doing homework or studying, is not an essential part of the school day, and would not be missed at all by students if replaced by later start times. Secondly, middle school start times would also have to be adjusted, but that would only require for them to adjust their schedule to a “late start time” as well. I believe doing this would drastically help students improve on their performance in out of the classroom, and help reaffirm that the administration puts its students first. I would love for them to seriously consider my point backed by science and professionals in the field, and I am certainly willing to discuss this issue with them. So will Faith fix its sleep problem? We will see soon enough.

]]>https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6540/student-life/the-big-sleep-problem-at-faith/feed/0Prime example of a well rounded studenthttps://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6503/opinion/prime-example-of-a-well-rounded-student/
https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6503/opinion/prime-example-of-a-well-rounded-student/#respondTue, 13 Mar 2018 17:37:27 +0000https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/?p=6503A student who can excel at Faith Lutheran is already above most average teenagers their age. This school is a college prep school with diverse electives. Students are expected to maintain honorable grades while competing in much harder courses.

At Faith, there are many students who take AP classes, but this special individual has a full load of them every year while keeping them no lower then an A. His name is Justin Chung; Justin has attended Faith for over seven years. At Faith Justin has received as high as a 4.5 GPA in his four high school years. Not to overlook other accomplished students, but most students with his grade point averages like his; don’t participate in anything at school.

“The accomplishment I am most proud of is winning the election for student body president. This makes me the most proud because of the rigor of not only public speaking to persuade voters, but having the approval to run by my student council’s advisor,” said Chung. “ Winning the approval of the student body to be appointed to the top position in the executive board places a smile on my face and is something that makes me very proud.”

For Justin this is just the opposite, he does more after school clubs and activities then some students combined.

Justin has been involved in Faith Lutheran athletics every year since freshmen to his senior year. All four years Justin has played football for head coach Vernon Fox. Justin has played linebacker all four years. But this year he also got the opportunity to kick field goals and extra points. Not many people realize that football takes up more than just after school time. From about early April all the way to the start of November, football takes all of a players focus and attention. Not only the mandatory mini camp and trips to Colorado for full, padded camps. But football players are required to lift over 90 percent of the summer days. Justin did this also while completing an internship this summer, under Dr. Schifini, who is a pain management specialist in anesthesiology. Justin wishes to have this future job one day and is making connections early.

As Justin transitioned from junior to senior year, he took the ACT and SAT, scoring in the 90 percentile for both. Justin has applied to over 11 colleges and 3 Ivy League schools. While this long admission process takes place, he has also been chosen from a select group to try out for the BD-SM program at UNR. Only the best students from across the country try out or even get recognized for these types of programs.

“My diligence and leadership skills with ability to be open-minded have allowed me to succeed in every aspect of my life. Numerous different mentors have taught me valuable characteristics in order to allow me to find success. My football coaches as well as my student leadership advisor continually give me lessons such towards proper interaction and etiquette. Throughout my life, these skills have been applicable in an ambiguous manner.” said Chung.

One might say that this is a full load, but he isn`t done yet. Justin Chung is also our student body president. Justin is apart of our student council. Every month, he meets with other school presidents throughout Clark County. This shows that Justin is respected and liked across campus to be voted in as student body president.

Involved in other activities, Justin is apart of National honors society, key club, and DECA. All tree require hours of hard work and effort. The most major academy he is apart of is STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

“Justin is a very good student and dedicated to his studies. Justin wants to go into the medical field and should focus on that. When Justin is in STEM, he has a friendly face that students know well.” said Mrs. Emily Blank, head of the STEM Program.

Justin has to graduate with over ten math and science credits. Meaning he has to maintain an A in over ten math and science classes over four years. Two more than what is required an average Faith student to have. A quote that Justin lives by is “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky’s quote reminds him that when a unique opportunity arrives, there should be no hesitation

A very bright future is ahead of Justin Chung, all of these accolades may sound great but not many would realize all of these things that Justin does. He is a kind and humble student who is a great example for future students not just here at Faith, but everywhere.

]]>https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6503/opinion/prime-example-of-a-well-rounded-student/feed/0Stoneman Douglas student shares her horror storyhttps://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6499/news/stoneman-douglas-student-shares-her-horror-story/
https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6499/news/stoneman-douglas-student-shares-her-horror-story/#respondWed, 07 Mar 2018 18:43:09 +0000https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/?p=6499On February 14th, 2018, students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Florida would attend a day at school that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Dropped off at school at around 2:19 p.m. EST, 19-year-old gunman, Nikolas Cruz, using an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with several 30 round magazines, proceeded to open fire in the three-story, 30 class-room “freshman building”. The shooting, which lasted a grueling six minutes, took the lives of 17 students and faculty, while several more were also injured.

“They didn’t deserve this, nobody deserves this. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t go to Stoneman Douglas, you are affected,” said Keely Owen.

Sophomore and student at MSD, Owen was unfortunate enough to witness the calamity.

Survivor from Florida shooting, Keely Owen.

“Well when I first heard the gunshots I really just thought it was the active shooter drill that was supposed to take place,” said Owen. “I was in class and I heard it but it really just sounded like large boxes dropping.”

As she headed left towards the street, Keely realized that continuing in that direction would lead straight to the middle of the shooting itself.

“I ran outside and I heard at least 12 gunshots go off instantaneously. I didn’t know what to do.”

Coach and hero Aaron Feis directed her to run the other way as fast as she could, where she ran into another class farther away from the action.

“I felt like I was being hunted for 2 hours. It got to the point where I didn’t even trust the police,” said Owen. “I now suffer from PTSD. I have to get help.”

“This flame represents the beautiful angels that were gained in heaven yesterday.” says Keely Owen on her Instagram.

Survivor Keely Owen said the community is coming together in ways she has never seen before, “I love Parkland, and I don’t want Nikolas Cruz to change what Parkland is. Parkland is amazing. It is not the ghetto and it’s not unsafe.”

Even through this tragedy, students and teachers have unintentionally developed a support system. “Our teachers are all here for us and there’s not one day we don’t get a text from them. They sit at the park for hours each day because we all go to see each other.”

Due to this tragedy and the October 1 shooting, Florida has more in common with Las Vegas than ever before. With students around the world taking part in walkouts and protests for more gun control and safer schools, teens in Florida are feeling the the encouragement from the entire country.

Here in Vegas, Faith Lutheran remembers the victims of the MSD tragedy by hosting an assembly Wednesday February 28th. “We support you, stay strong!” said Delaney Sylvester, a Route 91 survivor, and the multitude of students at the assembly.

“

“This terrible tragedy hasn’t just affected Marjory Stoneman Douglas students and staff but the whole community.””

— Keely Owen

“I can’t believe they’re walking out all the way in Vegas! That’s amazing!”, said Boca Delray American Heritage student Victoria Madsen, “This country-wide support is inspiring.”

Classes at MSD have resumed the same Wednesday, but many students are choosing not to return.

“Tell people you love them and don’t hold grudges,” said Owen, “Students from other schools need to be happy that they have not experienced something so terrible. Don’t wish you saw, don’t wish you heard. I promise you, you don’t.”

]]>https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6499/news/stoneman-douglas-student-shares-her-horror-story/feed/0March 2nd Broadcasthttps://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6528/showcase/march-2nd-broadcast/
https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6528/showcase/march-2nd-broadcast/#respondWed, 07 Mar 2018 18:31:55 +0000https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/?p=6528https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6528/showcase/march-2nd-broadcast/feed/0Coping with Traumatic Events: One Student’s Opinionhttps://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6431/opinion/coping-with-traumatic-events-one-students-opinion/
https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6431/opinion/coping-with-traumatic-events-one-students-opinion/#respondThu, 01 Mar 2018 18:53:53 +0000https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/?p=6431When somebody experiences a trauma, it is not uncommon for them to feel lost, alone, or helpless. However, there are a few things that can help relieve those feelings and help them find a happy place. For me, a survivor of the Las Vegas shooting, I found my therapy in spending time with friends and family, but most importantly, animals.

I never realized how much animals would be able to turn my frown upside down in a matter of minutes. On October 3rd, just two days after the shooting took place, I was having a horrific day at school. My head was in a different place; I felt like I didn’t belong anymore. Distraught, I spent my morning in and out of class crying and sitting in the counselor’s office thinking that nothing could help me.

Those feelings persisted until the counselor I was with, Mrs. Burns, received a text saying that comfort dogs were waiting outside of the front office. When approached with why she brought in the dogs that day, Mrs. Burns said, “Life can be really hard and really scary. God has gifted us with animals to bring us joy. If petting a dog makes life a little less hard and a little less scary, than we should have a dog to pet.“

When she asked me if I wanted to go meet the dogs with her, I instantly answered yes. From that moment on, I spent the rest of my day sitting on the ground petting these soft golden retrievers; particularly Lois and Jacob who were my favorite. For the first time in days, I felt happiness and comfort. Here I was, reminded that I was still capable of feeling happy and that the dark feelings I felt trapped by were temporary.

Later in the school day, I took a few of the dogs and their handlers around to different classrooms, so other students could experience the joy I did from seeing and spending time with these dogs. During this time, I saw the dogs have the same effects on others as they did on me; every student smiled cheek to cheek and could not get enough of them. It brought me a sense of contentment to see others so happy, not by something they saw on their phones or by the new shirt that they just ordered, but instead by something so real, pure, and simple; dogs.

As a competitive equestrian, riding horses has always been a therapeutic way for me to escape reality and have fun. However, I never realized the extent of how helpful spending time with horses was for my overall well-being until after the shooting, where everyday was the hardest day of my life. After trying to make it through a full day of school, sometimes completing it and sometimes not, I would drive down to the barn, spend time with my horse named Penn, and just ride. The presence of Penn alone automatically soothed my stressed and worried mind. It brought me to a different place that became so distant and rare to me– a happy place. While there is not a huge amount of scientific research, it is proven that petting animals lowers blood pressure and helps stop the release of cortisol, the stress hormone, according to Mrs. Burns. When going through therapy, it can be difficult to look someone in the eye and talk to them about your problems, which is why some people color in coloring books. Petting an animal has the same effect as coloring; you can talk about anything while still being able to focus your attention on something else. For me, whether riding Penn around the arena, feeding him treats, or just petting his strong, furry neck, I always feel overwhelmed with a sense of relief that nothing else could top.

We all have our tough days, regardless of the cause, we all want tools to help us cope, carry on, and return to a state of happiness. You can find that in something that brings you unconditional comfort and love. While I found my therapy in spending time with animals, my best friend, Summer Stadtlander, who also survived the Las Vegas shooting, finds her comfort in spending time with people she enjoys and through watching movies. There are all different things people can find therapy in, I encourage you to try something new and down to earth to find yours.

]]>https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6431/opinion/coping-with-traumatic-events-one-students-opinion/feed/0Let your hair do the talkinghttps://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6493/audio/let-your-hair-do-the-talking/
https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6493/audio/let-your-hair-do-the-talking/#respondWed, 28 Feb 2018 17:19:33 +0000https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/?p=6493Podcast
]]>https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6493/audio/let-your-hair-do-the-talking/feed/0Pyeongchang Winter Olympics 2018https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6451/sports/pyeongchang-winter-olympics-2018/
https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/6451/sports/pyeongchang-winter-olympics-2018/#respondWed, 28 Feb 2018 17:08:31 +0000https://www.crusaderchronicle.com/?p=6451On February 9th, 2018, in Pyeongchang, South Korea the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics took place. The 2018 the Olympic Channel and NBC Sports is broadcasting live a multitude of different sports played, like bobsleding, skiing, hockey, and figure skating to name a few. Here are the live standings for the top- achieving countries and each of their medal counts.